This post will need no introduction to connoisseurs of British humour comics: OINK emerged from the IPC stable (albeit produced and packaged far away from King's Reach Tower) like (ironically) a breath of fresh air in May 1986.
The piggy-themed fortnightly (then weekly and - finally - as a kiss-of-death monthly) soon adopted a formula of following a different theme each issue. This, the 24th outing (25 if you count the freebie preview issue bundled with the existing IPC weeklies), was designated the Time-Travel Special and - inevitably - WHO was one of the targets.
It was cover-dated 21 March 1987.
Then current (but not for long) current Doc Colin Baker appeared on the cover and in a strip inside. Unfortunately, Oink's unusual page dimensions mean that I couldn't scan any of the interior pages without chopping-off some of the page. Doh.
Oink ultimately ran until October 1988 (becoming the latest of a long stream of titles to end their days in the pages of BUSTER), clocking-up 68 regular issues and various spin-offs and annuals. Even a computer game.
Why did it fail: perhaps the novelty wore off. Almost certainly, it was more expensive to produce thanks to its superior format and high origination costs. But - ultimately - it probably succumbed to the same nose-diving sales that was decimating the whole British comics business during the 1980s.
And, lets briefly mention the 50th anniversary itself…
I saw THE DAY OF THE DOCTOR on the big screen and I'm very glad I made the effort. It looked spectacular in 3D and stood-up very well against any reasonably budgeted feature film. The cinema-exclusive introductions were also great fun and a nice "value added" touch for fans who'd paid the going rate (some £15-odd in London) to see it. I hadn't really planned it like that but I also saw it at the cinema just across the road from BBC TELEVISION CENTRE which, for me, will always be the spiritual home of the show (sorry Cardiff!).
THE FIVE(ISH) DOCTORS, courtesy of writer/ director/ star (and MY Doctor) Peter Davison was a lovely little bonus feature which was a real joy to watch. It's packed full of brilliant cameos and cheeky moments which will tickle the cockles of any fan. Anyone who's not tracked this spoof documentary down on the iPlayer or BBC Red Button service should do so now.
I saw AN ADVENTURE IN TIME AND SPACE last night and really enjoyed it as well. I thought the storytelling and attention to detail (allowing for artistic license) was top-notch. It was lovely, and also bittersweet, to see BBC Television Centre on screen one last time. And Barnes Common was a nice nod to the Dalek Target novelisation. Hurrah.
I remember liking Oink! They all went in the bin unfortunately many moons ago. I have been enjoying Brain Damage again lately, which I managed to keep hold of. Makes me miss the political satire we had in the late 80s.
ReplyDeleteBRAIN DAMAGE. wow! That's a title I haven't thought about in a very long time.
DeleteI must confess that the whole VIZ-wannabe wave largely passed me by (I remember it being more early-to-mid nineties) but there seemed to be tons of the things. Off the top-of-my-head, I recall UT, ZIT and others. Most of them seemed opportunist but I don't recall really reading any. It would be a good area to cover here me thinks.
Thanks g23! Watch for the WOWSA in your inbox!
DeleteYou have been deleted! :-)
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